Trap
Traps are typically found on boxes that some creatures drop as treasure or loot when searched. Most traps only require two steps to remove -- the check for traps and then the disarm attempt. Some traps, however, require more steps and/or specific items on hand to disarm them.
Traps found on boxes can be DETECTED to attempt to see the trap, and DISARMED to disarm the trap.
The Perception skill can help in detecting traps. Disarming Traps skill is needed to disarm the traps. Items needed to disarm various traps include disarming kits, which can be purchased from locksmith shops, dagger-based weapons, and lockpicks.
Types of traps
There are a number of traps found on boxes, and some have a few sub-types to go with them. Notably, scarabs have various different types of scarabs, each having a different effect when triggered.
Scarab
- Scarabs are a two-part trap. First, disarm the box to drop the scarab to the floor. Then, disarm the scarab to render it inert. Skill in Arcane Symbols will help with disarming scarabs, though that help is believed to be negligible for those with high ranks in Disarming Traps. Scarabs can also be magically disarmed from their box with Disarm (408), but the scarab itself will be lost.
- The message received when disarming a scarab is also not exact, but becomes more precise with more ranks in Arcane Symbols. Sample messaging, which may or may not indicate success:
- "You feel like you probably rendered the translucent scarab harmless, but can't be sure."
- "Deciphering the runes is relatively simple, and you're pretty sure you were successful."
- "*scritch scritch* If that had been any easier, you could have done it blindfolded."
- Disarming a loose scarab multiple times is possible and often advisable when one is unsure of their success with the first disarm. However, the value of a scarab drops each time it is disarmed. They can be sold at the gemshop.
- Scarabs come in five varieties:
Sky-Blue Glaes
- Will bite the person who triggers it and inflict a strong disease before flying away. Box is safe after scarab is triggered.
Sea-Green Glaes
- Will bite the person who triggers it and inflict a strong poison before flying away. Box is safe after scarab is triggered.
Spiked Onyx
- Will burrow into the person who triggers it and cause damage, heading toward the heart. If it reaches your heart, it will kill you, then erupt from your chest and attack someone else in the room. Neutralize Curse can kill an onyx scarab when it has burrowed, or the afflicted limb can be ambushed off if the scarab hasn't reached the torso yet and the scarab can be attacked like a normal creature. Box is safe after scarab is triggered.
Blood Red
- Will latch onto the hand of the person who triggers it and draw blood until the victim is dead, then attack someone else in the room. Neutralize Curse can kill a blood red scarab when it is leeching, or the afflicted limb can be ambushed off and the scarab can be attacked like a normal creature. Box is safe after scarab is triggered.
Translucent
- Casts the spell Evil Eye at the person who triggers it, with a very high casting strength. The scarab returns to the box after it has been triggered. A successfully disarmed translucent scarab can be rubbed for a defensive spell effect.
Glimmering Opalescent
- Casts a very strong CS-based spell at the person who triggers it before returning to the box. Spells observed to be cast include Spike Thorn, Dark Catalyst, Boil Earth, and Elemental Blast. A successfully disarmed opalescent scarab can be rubbed for a defensive spell effect.
Poison Needle
- Poison needle traps can be magically disarmed with Disarm (408) and are also rendered inert after being triggered. They require putty from a disarming kit to be disarmed manually.
- On detection, a live poison needle trap looks like this:
Hmmm, you can see what appears to be a tiny hole next to the lock plate which doesn't seem to belong there. Looking closer you see a gleaming sliver of metal recessed in the hole.
- A successful manual disarm looks like this:
Using a bit of putty from your <disarming kit>, you manage to block the tiny hole in the lock plate.
- A manually disarmed poison needle trap looks like this:
You see a tiny hole next to the lock plate which has been completely plugged.
- Triggering a poison needle trap will result in a minor hand wound and a hefty poison, and looks like this:
Ouch! You feel a tiny prick in your finger! You see a needle protruding from a small hole beside the lock plate with a little of your blood on it! You feel a fierce poison coursing through your veins!
- Needles can be removed and used as a thief trap through the Lock Mastery Rogue Guild skill. The potency of a needle trap is influenced by its difficulty, but the thief's skill has no impact on whether or not the needle is hit.
Jaws
This trap has a large amount of roundtime associated with disarming it, but generally disarms easily. A pair of springs are left in the box after this trap is disarmed. Setting the trap off severs the hand of the person handling the trap. The jaws can also be extracted via Lock Mastery and used as a thief trap. Nothing about a jaws trap is influenced by its difficulty, and the ability for a thief to avoid it or steal it is strictly based on their training. Only the highest level and highest trained thieves can actually steal them, and even at maximum training the chance is slim.
Sphere
This trap is unique in being disarmed in that the person disarming the trap must be holding a lockpick when disarming it in order to pry the gem from its set location. Setting this trap off casts the spell, Major Elemental Wave (435), which can have devistating results to all persons in the room. The gem may also be removed with Lock Mastery, and used as a thrown weapon. When thrown, the gem creates a wave similar to the spell mentioned earlier, but to reduced effect.